Torchwood: How It Should Have Been
by JoChryedLover
Summary: My version of Torchwood, after the season one episode "They Keep Killing Suzie". Rated T for language and suggested themes. Completely OOC and AU. Jack/Gwen.
1. Things I Never Knew

**Hi all!**

**Thought I'd post this on here. I've been going through my computer and found this lying discarded in the dark recesses of my hard drive. I'll try and post a chapter a week.**

**A word of warning; this fic is quite long, it's 55 pages on MSW, so it will take a while for me to post it all up. Also, as I have warned about the length, please don't post stuff such as 'I'm getting bored of this' or 'Hurry up and end it, would you?' as that has happened on a couple of other forums. If you're getting bored, just don't read it, simple as 's also _very_ OOC, so be warned!**

**The starting point is after _They Keep Killing Suzie_.  
**

**:)**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

Everyone in the hub was hard at work. Owen was busy working on one of the bodies found the previous day. Tosh was working on a new translation device. Ianto was busy making more coffee magic. Jack was in his office, doing some admin work. He had sent Gwen home to recover from her ordeal the previous day. She had put up a good fight, but eventually had to agree to let Jack take her home. It came as no surprise to Jack that, at the end of a long day, everyone was eager to get out of the place. He sighed as he was the only one, as usual, to remain behind.

Gwen was sitting at home after being sent home from work when she received a text message from Owen.

_Hey! Just finished! Wanna come over? O xxx_

Gwen sighed. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go round. She'd heard a lot the previous day, and if it was true, she wasn't sure if she wanted to continue her relationship with Owen. Grudgingly, she got up and got into her car, deciding that she and Owen needed to talk.

When Gwen arrived at Owen's flat, he admitted her and tried to kiss her, but she backed away.  
"What's wrong?"  
Gwen sighed and sat down on the bed.  
"Owen, I - I was told a lot of things yesterday, and I need you to be honest with me."  
Owen sat down next to her.  
"What is it?"  
"When Suzie came back to life, she told me that I had replaced her at Torchwood. At first, I thought she just meant in her job, but then she said something which made me think differently."  
"Don't believe anything that bitch says! She tried to kill you! Twice!"  
"Owen, just listen to me! She - she asked me if I had slept with you..."  
Owen looked up. In his mind, he knew what was coming. He knew that whatever Suzie had told Gwen was true. He couldn't lie to her about it. Could he?  
"From the look on my face, I assume she thought I had. Now, Owen, this is the bit that gets me; she said I had replaced her in more ways than one."  
Owen stood up, feeling that anything he said would make no difference.  
"What do you want me to say?"  
"Owen, I just want the truth. Did you have a relationship with Suzie?"  
"Yeah, I did."  
"So, is that all I am, a replacement?"  
"No, Gwen, it's not like that!"  
"So how is it then, Owen?"  
"Look, it was complicated. But yeah, I guess I did sort of love her, when she was alive."  
Gwen got up and made to leave.  
"But - " Owen ran over and grabbed her. "That doesn't mean that I don't love you right now. Suzie's dead. She's not the person I thought she was."  
"Owen, I can't play second best to a dead woman. I think it's better if we stop seeing each other."  
Before Owen could stop her, Gwen had run out of the door and down to her car. She drove into the night, and stopped only when she was sure Owen wouldn't be able to reach her by foot anytime soon. She had tears streaming down her face. She received a text message on her mobile phone. It was from Owen.

_Gwen, don't leave like this. I don't want this to end. O xxx_

She sent him a message back which read:

_Owen, I don't want to see you anymore. I can't just be another notch on your bedpost. I'm sorry. G_

Without thinking, Gwen drove off and ended up outside Torchwood. She cleaned herself up as best she could and entered the hub. She headed straight for her desk and pretended to be looking through some paperwork.  
Jack looked up as Gwen entered the hub. He watched her walk over to her desk and start looking through some papers. After a while, he saw a tear run down Gwen's face, so he walked over to her.  
"What are you doing her so late?" He asked as he walked down the stairs.  
Gwen, hearing him approach, quickly wiped her face and turned to face him.  
"Oh, nothing, just looking through some paperwork. I'll be gone before you know it."  
Jack took hold of her arm as she made to turn back around.  
"Gwen, what's going on?"  
Another tear ran down her face, but she ignored it.  
"Oh, nothing. It;s just been a very stressful couple of days, that's all..."  
Jack held Gwen's arm and led her up to his office.  
"Come with me."  
He sat Gwen down and took a bottle of whisky out of his desk drawer. He poured a little into two glasses.  
"I think we both need this." Gwen gave him a weak smile. "Now, what's going on? And don't give me that crap about Suzie and everything." He added, before Gwen could speak.  
Gwen sighed. She couldn't think of a way to explain to Jack without telling him about Owen. Although, she thought he probably already knew.  
"Is it Owen?"  
Gwen looked up, shocked.  
"Look, I know that something's been going on. I'm not stupid, OK?"  
"Jack, nothing's going on. Not now, anyway."  
Gwen told the story about Owen and Suzie to Jack, who listened extremely well, Gwen thought. When she had finished, Jack sighed.  
"Gwen, what do you want?"  
"What?"  
"Right now. What do you want?"  
"I want - I guess - To be honest, Jack, I don't know if I can do this anymore."  
Jack looked up.  
"This job. I've been working here for three months, and yeah, they have been three of the best months of my life. But they've also been three of the most bloody terrifying, too. In the past three months, I've almost lost my life three times. I don't know how much longer I can do this for."  
"Gwen, believe me, all of us have felt like that at some point. But there's nothing better than this job."  
"What, even the great Jack Harkness has wanted to quit?"  
"Yeah. Is that so hard to believe?"  
"Well, yeah. You act like you're indestructible; like nothing will ever hurt you. And I don't mean physically. I mean emotionally."  
"Well, that's where you'd be wrong."  
Gwen looked into Jack's eyes.  
"What do you mean? When have you ever felt scared?" Gwen tried to laugh it off, but something in Jack's eyes made her feel unsure.  
"Before Suzie almost killed you, she phoned me. She said that she was gonna kill you, and that we couldn't stop her. And do you know what I said to her?"  
Gwen shook her head as Jack stood up and looked out of his office window onto the peaceful base.  
"I told her that I'd kill her if she killed you."  
"Jack, you would have said that about anyone."  
"No. It's not like that. When I thought she'd killed you, you have no idea what it felt like."  
Gwen stood up and walked over by Jack.  
"Then tell me."  
"It felt...it felt as though she'd ripped out a piece of my heart and was tearing it into small pieces right in front of me."  
Gwen stared into the empty hub, not knowing how to respond.  
"But you know what was worse? Looking over to you when we brought you back to find you in Owen's arms. I would have given anything to be where he was at that time. Anything."  
Gwen stood gobsmacked.  
"Jack, I - I didn't know..."  
"Why should you? You were happy with Rhys. And then you were too busy with Owen to notice me."  
Gwen was still in shock. She sat back down and had another drink.  
"So where does that leave us?"  
Gwen looked over at Jack.  
"I - I dunno, Jack. Like I said to Owen, I don;t wanna be just another notch on a bedpost. I've got a good life with Rhys. I'm not going to sacrifice that for a string of one night stands."  
"Gwen, I wouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t expect you to."  
Before she knew what she was doing, Gwen had walked over to Jack and kissed him. He broke off and looked her in the eye.  
"Gwen, are you sure about this? It could change everything."  
She didn't say anything. Instead, she kissed him again and pulled him over to the desk, where she sat down. Slowly, Jack sat down next to her and pulled her close to him. Gwen then pushed Jack down so that he was lying on the desk and lay on top of him, still kissing him, but more passionately now. Jack had started to insert his tongue into Gwen's mouth and she had hers in his, when her phone started to ring. She looked up, but Jack pulled her back.  
"Leave it!" He hissed.  
Jack started to kiss her again, but her phone kept ringing. She got up onto the floor and answered. It was Rhys.  
"Hello?"  
"Hi, just me. Just wondering when I can expect you at home?"  
"Oh, erm, I'm almost finished here now. Sorry to keep you waiting."  
"No worries, I was just getting worried about you, that's all. You've been gone for a few hours now; you said you'd only be an hour at most."  
"Yeah, sorry. I got a little sidetracked."  
"OK love, I'll see you in a bit."  
"Yeah, bye."  
Gwen sighed and reached over for her coat.  
"I have to go; Rhys has been worrying about me."  
"Yeah, course. Well, see you..."  
_This is incredible, _Gwen thought, _we're both acting like sticking our tongues down each other's throats is completely normal._  
"I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."  
Gwen left the hub, with Jack staring after her.


	2. The Morning After The Night Before

**Hi all!**

**Apologies for the lack of updates, I'm going to post a couple up tonight because I've been crap lately *hangs head***

**Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter :)**

**Hope you enjoy this one too**

**xoxoxo**

**

* * *

**

The next day, Gwen came into work early and sat at her desk. She was tired; she had been awake all night thinking about Jack. She was relieved, therefore, when Ianto came over to her station.  
"Can I get you anything?"  
"Ianto, you're a lifesaver!"  
Ianto smiled and went to make Gwen a strong cup of coffee. Gwen looked at her computer screen and spotted an Instant Message from Jack.

_Harkness, Jack: Hey. You're in early this morning._  
_Cooper, Gwen: Yeah. Listen Jack, about last night..._  
_Harkness, Jack: Before you say anything, I've been thinking about it, too._  
_Cooper, Gwen: Jack, I need to know. Did you mean it?_  
_Harkness, Jack: Yeah. I meant all of it._  
_Cooper, Gwen: I don't know where that leaves us...here, at work._  
_Harkness, Jack: The same as we always were._  
_Cooper, Gwen: Jack, I don't know if I can do this...Us. I mean, there's Rhys, and then there's Owen..._  
_Harkness, Jack: Gwen, from what happened last night; I think it's a little too late to be worrying about them._  
_Cooper, Gwen: I know, I just think that with the way I left things with Owen, maybe we shouldn't do anything for a while._  
_Harkness, Jack: Gwen, I don't care about Owen. Or Rhys, for that matter. I don't even know the guy. If you want to stay with him, then we'll forget all about this. If you want this, it has to be for real. I'm not gonna play second best to another guy. That's not how this is gonna work._

Before Gwen had a chance to reply, the rest of the team entered the hub. Owen walked straight past her into the autopsy room, and Tosh walked straight to her work station. Jack came out and stood on the balcony, watching his team get to work. He glanced over to Owen, who kept looking over to Gwen. It was obvious that Owen had gotten drunk last night; he had the look about him of someone who had had very little sleep and woken up with a hangover. Tosh was also looking over to Gwen, but Jack suspected that she was simply checking her friend was alright after the events of the last couple of days.

After a couple of hours, Jack sent Gwen an e-mail:

_From: Harkness, Jack  
To: Cooper, Gwen  
_

_Gwen,_  
_If you want this, come up to the office in 5. Bring some paperwork with you; that way you won't look suspicious. Believe me, I want this. More than you know. If you don't come, I'll know that last night was a mistake and I'll leave you alone._  
_Jack_  
_xxx_

Gwen read the message again, and quickly looked up to Jack's office. She saw that the blinds were closed, and she thought she had an idea why. She didn't know what to do, and there was no one to talk to about it. She couldn't talk to Owen; he'd just shrug her off and think she was a whore. Tosh would think the same; she knew about her brief affair with Owen. She couldn't talk to Ianto either; it was only a month or so ago that he had lost Lisa because of Jack and the others. The only one she could talk to was Jack. She sighed and gathered up some paperwork. As she walked up the stairs to Jack's office, Gwen could feel Owen staring at her. She ignored him and knocked on the office door before entering.

"Jack?"  
He was standing behind his desk, and had laid out a dinner for two on the table.  
"I'm glad you came, I don't know what I would have done with this otherwise" Jack grinned.  
"Jack, I'm still not entirely sure about this."  
"Yes you are. You wouldn't be here right now if you weren't."  
Gwen sighed and sat down opposite Jack.  
"This is a big step for me."  
"I know. I don't wanna make you do anything you don't want to. We play by your rules."  
Gwen smiled and started to eat the food Jack had prepared as he sat down opposite her.

Back in the hub, Owen walked over to Tosh's station.  
"So, what do you reckon?" he asked, pointing up to Jack's office.  
"I dunno. Going over paperwork or something?"  
Owen snorted, making Tosh turn and face him.  
"I think he's got a bit more than paperwork on his mind."  
"Owen, what are you going on about?"  
"I bet you anything he's screwing her right now."  
Tosh looked shocked and slightly confused.  
"Owen, I thought that - "  
"Yeah, well you thought wrong. She's gone off with him now. I'm nothing to her."  
"Owen, I'm sorry."  
"Forget about it. She's not worth it."  
Tosh was shocked to hear Owen talking like this about Gwen. As he walked off, she sent Gwen a text message.

_G, what's going on? O's being weird. T x_

Gwen's phone rang as she finished her lunch. She looked at it and sighed.  
"Bad?"  
"It's Tosh. Owen's been having a go. She's noticed something strange is going on."  
She sent a message back:

_Nothing's going on. O's just being a twat, as usual, that's all. G x_

Gwen sighed again.  
"I knew something like this would happen. I knew Owen would try to stir things up."  
"He's just pissed off because he's not getting all the attention for once. He'll soon get bored, don't worry."  
Jack got up and put his arms around Gwen, who was also standing.  
"I'm worried, Jack. I mean, what if Owen goes and tells Rhys?"  
"Well, I'll just have to have you all to myself." Jack grinned and leaned in to kiss Gwen when there was a knock at the door. Luckily, Jack had cleared away the plates before, so no one would know what had happened. Gwen left with the paperwork in her arms as Tosh entered.  
"Hey Tosh, what can I do for you?"  
Jack closed the door behind Tosh, who gave him a stern look.  
"What are you doing, Jack?"  
"Excuse me?"  
"Leading Gwen on, making her think she's different to all the others you've been with over the years. I've worked with you for three years, Jack. I know what you've done to others, and I know exactly what you'll do to her."  
"Toshiko, do yourself a favour: Stay out of my business."  
"Not when one of my friends and colleagues is going to get hurt."  
"Tosh, if you really knew me, you'd know that I'd never do anything to hurt Gwen. Ever. Now, go back to work and leave my business to me."  
Tosh left and glanced back at Jack before walking down the stairs towards her own station. Once seated, she had the following conversation with Gwen on Instant Messenger:

_Sato, Toshiko: Gwen, what are you doing?_  
_Cooper, Gwen: What?_  
_Sato, Toshiko: Owen, Jack, Rhys?_  
_Cooper, Gwen: Tosh, it's really none of your business._  
_Sato, Toshiko: Gwen, Owen's my friend. I care about what happens to him. You just go around, not caring who you hurt. You finished with Owen and without even giving him a second thought, move onto Jack!_  
_Cooper, Gwen: Tosh, just stop sticking your nose in, alright! You have no idea what happened, so don't go around accusing me of all sorts when you have no fucking idea!_  
_Sato, Toshiko: OK, OK Gwen. I just don't wanna see you get hurt._  
_Cooper, Gwen: I can look after myself, thanks, Tosh._  
_Sato, Toshiko: I know Jack. You don't. I know what he's like._  
_Cooper, Gwen: So enlighten me._  
_Sato, Toshiko: Alright. He'll go out with you, he'll screw you, he might even buy you stuff sometimes, but he'll drop you as soon as he finds something else he fancies._  
_Cooper, Gwen: You're wrong, Tosh. He's not like that. I've seen what's inside him. He's a good man._  
_Sato, Toshiko: Well, don't come crying to me when everything goes wrong._

Tosh logged off IM and walked over to the Autopsy Room to see Owen. Gwen stayed at her desk with her head in her hands. After a while, Ianto walked over.  
"Is everything OK?"  
"Yes, everything's fine, Ianto."  
Ianto smiled. "Can I get you anything?"  
"No thanks Ianto."  
Ianto made to leave, but Gwen spoke again.  
"Actually, Ianto, any chance of a shoulder to cry on?"  
Ianto smiled and motioned to Gwen to follow him. They went down to the kitchen, where Ianto spent most of his time.  
"What's wrong, Gwen?"  
"I don't know what to do, Ianto. I wasn't going to talk with you about this after what happened with Lisa and everything, but you're the only one I can turn to."  
"Tell me, Gwen."  
Gwen told Ianto her story, about Owen, Jack, Tosh, everything. He listened, as she suspected he would, intently.  
"I don't know what to do for the best, Ianto."  
"Well, who do you feel more strongly for? Jack? Or Rhys?"  
"I don't know. I thought me and Rhys would be together forever. Then I met this lot and everything changed. I don't know who I am anymore."  
"Well, I hope you don't mind me saying this, but it seems to me that you may have...outgrown Rhys. If all of this started when you joined Torchwood, then I suspect you had felt this way for a long time, but stayed with Rhys because there was no one else to hold you at night."  
Gwen thought over what Ianto had said.  
"You know, I think you might be right. Thank you, Ianto. You've been a good friend to me." She kissed him on the cheek before leaving and heading back up to her work station.  
"Don't mention it." Ianto called after her, feeling relieved that someone had finally let him in on something which was going on it the team. Maybe he wasn't just the tea boy after all.


	3. Decision Time

**Hi all!**

**Apologies for the lack of updates, I'm going to post a couple up tonight because I've been crap lately *hangs head***

**Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter :)**

**Hope you enjoy this one too**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

Gwen knocked on Jack's office door. It was the end of the day, and Owen and Tosh had gone home. Ianto was still in the hub, finishing off the day's cleaning and coffee making. Gwen entered Jack's office, closing the door behind her. She was shocked to find the Jack wasn't there. She went to the balcony and shouted to Ianto, who was busy cleaning Tosh's work station.

"Ianto, you haven't seen Jack, have you?"  
"Not since this afternoon."  
"Did he mention if he was going out or anything?"  
"Not to me."  
"OK, thanks, Ianto."  
Gwen went back into Jack's office and waited. She started talking to Ianto as he tidied up in the office.  
"How are you these days, Ianto?"  
"Oh, you know. I keep myself busy."  
"You miss her, don't you?"  
"She was my whole life. I try to get by, but it's hard sometimes."  
"I'm sorry, Ianto."  
There was a silence.  
"If...if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm always here."  
"Thank you. I'd better get on."  
Ianto left, and Gwen felt lucky to have Jack and Rhys. She knew what she had to do when Jack came back.

Four hours later, Jack walked back into the hub to find Gwen asleep in his office. He smiled and kissed her head to wake her.  
"Hey sleepyhead."  
"Jack? What time is it?"  
"It's almost 12."  
"Oh God. I must have...Where did you go? I've been waiting for you. I need to talk to you."  
"I had to go and see an old friend. I had some unfinished business."  
Jack sat down opposite Gwen and took her hands in his.  
"So, what do you need to tell me about so desperately?"  
"I - I was talking to Ianto earlier, and he made me see things from a new light. I've made a decision about us." Gwen leaned forwards and kissed Jack.  
"I want an us. More than I want a me and Rhys. I want to be with you, Jack. Not Rhys, not Owen. You."  
A smile spread across Jack's face.  
"You're sure about this? Because it will change everything, you know. And plus, I don't want you to rush into a decision."  
"I'm not rushing into anything. If I really wanted to be with Rhys, I'd never have slept with Owen. But this, it feels right. Not like it was with Owen. Everything makes sense now."  
Gwen stood up, fully awake, and pulled Jack to his feet.  
"Toshiko told me to stay away; said you'd hurt me like you have done to others before. But I know you. I know you'll never hurt me."  
"No, I won't."  
Jack smiled again and allowed Gwen to kiss him. After they had explored each other's mouths some more, Gwen pulled away.  
"I need to go and talk to Rhys."  
"Right, yeah. Want me to come along?"  
"No, it'll be easier if I do it alone."  
"OK. Call me if you need me."  
Gwen kissed Jack one more time before walking towards the door.  
"I'll see you later."

When Gwen arrived at home, Rhys was already asleep. Not particularly wanting an argument in the middle of the night, Gwen wrapped herself in a blanket and sat on the sofa. She couldn't sleep; she was thinking about Jack too much. She couldn't believe that he felt about her the way she felt about him. She had wanted this for a long time; she couldn't believe that it was actually happening. She glanced at her computer screen and saw that she had received an IM from Owen.

_Well, thanks a lot Gwen. Not only do you dump me, but hours later, you're up there screwing the boss. I guess I should have expected that from someone who cheats on her boyfriend._

Gwen was furious. She was so angry that she almost broke the keyboard as she sent a reply.

_For your information, I'm not screwing the boss. And I'm not cheating on Rhys, either. In fact, by morning, there will be no Rhys, OK? Not that it's any of your business anyway._

Gwen's hands were shaking with anger as she received a reply.

_Look, I'm not interested, alright? I wouldn't care if you shagged the entire Universe. What I am interested in is that you'll dump Rhys for Jack, but you wouldn't dump him for me._

_Owen, it's complicated,_ went Gwen's reply. _It's different with Jack. He's not with me for a quick shag every now and again. He cares about me!_

_Oh, and I didn't care about you? Let me tell you about Jack. The only person he cares about is himself. He'll love you and leave you like he's done to hundreds of others before._

_Owen, I don't care about his past! All I care about is the here and now, and I know that Jack would never do anything to hurt me!_

With that, Gwen logged off and sat back on the sofa. She had so many thoughts spinning in her head. Why were Tosh and Owen so against her and Jack? Why was Owen, of all people, trying to ward her off? Why had Jack never told her how he felt before? With these and so many more thoughts spinning round in her head, it was a miracle that Gwen managed to fall to sleep that night.


	4. How He Found Out

**Hi all!**

**Apologies for the lack of updates, I'm going to post a couple up tonight because I've been crap lately *hangs head***

**Thanks for the reviews for the first chapter :)**

**Hope you enjoy this one too**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

When she woke next morning, Gwen was surprised to see someone in her kitchen.  
"Jack?"  
He turned and smiled.  
"Hey. Want some breakfast?"  
"What are you doing here? Where's Rhys?"  
"He's gone to work. I let myself in after he'd left."  
Jack held up the device that Tosh had used to escape when the hub was in lock-down all those months ago.  
"Well, how long have you been here?"  
"Not long."  
Jack made his way over to the sofa with a plate of breakfast, which he handed to Gwen. She gave him a stern look, then smiled and took the food gratefully; she had not eaten since the previous lunchtime in Jack's office.  
"Thanks."  
"How'd it go with Rhys?"  
"I haven't spoken to him; he was flat out when I got home."  
"Oh, so I guess I shouldn't really be here, then?"  
Jack grinned.  
"Shouldn't you be in the hub? Come to think of it, shouldn't I be in the hub?"  
"Relax. I told the others that I needed to sort out some business in London, so they aren't expecting me back until Monday. As for you, I told them that they could expect you back tomorrow; I said you needed an extra day off to recover and shouldn't have came in yesterday as it caused you undue stress."  
"Thanks. I had an argument with Owen yesterday."  
"What did he say?"  
"Oh, you know. The same as Tosh. That you only care about yourself and you'll love me and leave me."  
Jack sighed.  
"What is it with those two? Can't they just let two people be happy?"  
"Apparently not."  
Gwen placed her plate on the coffee table and took hold of Jack's hands.  
"I've said this to them, I'll say it to you. I don't care about your past relationships. All I care about is the here and now. I don't know how this is going to turn out, but what I do know is that I want to give this a go."  
"Me too."  
Jack put his arms around Gwen and held her close. Then, he started to kiss her like he had done the previous night, only this time, his hands were on her arse rather than round her waist. The couple were so busy kissing and feeling each other up that they didn't hear the front door open. As he walked into the living room, Rhys saw Gwen kissing Jack.  
"You bitch."  
He left the house, slamming the front door behind him as Jack and Gwen broke apart.  
"Shit."  
Gwen ran out into the street as Rhys drove away. Jack came out after her and led her back inside and sat her down on the sofa.  
"Hey, at least he knows now, right?"  
"I didn't want him to find out like this."  
"I know, but he was going to find out." Jack paused and lifted Gwen's face so that she was looking into his eyes. "You were planning on telling him, weren't you?"  
"Of course I was! Just, not like this!"  
"I'm sorry; I shouldn't have asked you that. I'll stay here until he gets back and we can face him together."  
"No. No, it's better if I speak to him alone."  
"OK, well I'll stay away. Call me as soon as anything happens."  
"I will."  
Jack gave Gwen a swift kiss on the cheek and left.  
Several hours later, Gwen heard Rhys' car pull up outside. She ran to the door, but he pushed past her and walked upstairs. She followed him into the bedroom, shut the door and stood in front of it.  
"Rhys, please, let me explain!"  
"From what I saw, you don't need to explain! It's quite clear that you don't want to be here with me anymore, which is why I'm leaving!"  
"Rhys, please. I didn't mean for you to find out like this!"  
"I don't want to listen to this. Just leave me alone!"  
Gwen ran back downstairs and sat on the sofa. When she heard Rhys coming down the stairs, Gwen ran to the door before he could leave and pulled him into the living room.  
"Rhys, listen to me."  
He tried to pull away, but she pulled him down onto the sofa.  
"I am truly sorry about this. It's not that I never loved you, Rhys, because I did. It's just that, over the past few months, things have really changed my life. I've changed. I'm sorry, Rhys, but I can't be with you anymore. Not when I care for Jack so much."  
"Oh, so he's Jack, is he? How long has it been going on?"  
"Rhys, please! Don't do this!"  
"Have you slept with him?"  
"What?"  
"Have you slept with him?"  
"No, she hasn't."  
Gwen turned to see Jack standing in the doorway.  
"You hadn't called me, Gwen Cooper! I was getting worried."  
Rhys rose off the sofa and stepped towards Jack.  
"Get out of my house!"  
"Well, I would. Except, it's not your house, is it? It's Gwen's. So, if you don't mind, I think I'll stay."  
"Actually, _sir_, I do mind. You've taken away everything I have, so excuse me if I'm a little upset!"  
"Please, Rhys, it's not Jack's fault!"  
"Don't go protecting him!"  
As Rhys stepped forwards, his hand clenched into a fist, Gwen put her arms out to pull him back.  
"Rhys, no!"  
Rhys turned and hit Gwen across the face. She fell onto the sofa and Jack pulled put his gun.  
"Jack, no!"  
"Don't touch her again!"  
Rhys backed off.  
"I'm sorry, Gwen! It was an accident!"  
"Jack, put your gun away, for God's sake!"  
Jack did as he was asked, and pocketed it. Rhys straightened up and looked at Gwen, who was now sitting in Jack's arms.  
"There's nothing I can do or say to change your mind?"  
"I'm sorry."  
"Well, I, er, I'd better be off, then." He turned to face Jack. "You had better take care of her."  
"I will."  
Rhys nodded, and, with a final look at Gwen, headed out of the door. Jack sighed and kissed Gwen's head.  
"Well, that went well."  
"Don't Jack." Gwen pulled away. "I asked you to leave this to me!"  
"What did you want me to do? I hadn't heard from you; I didn't know what had happened to you!"  
"I can take care of myself, Jack!"  
"Come on, Gwen! Don't be angry! I was only looking out for you!"  
Gwen sighed.  
"I know, Jack. I just think it would have been easier for me to tell him alone, that's all."  
"Well, it's done now."  
Gwen touched her face where Rhys had hit her, causing Jack to lean over and examine her.  
"I'm fine, Jack, honestly!"  
"It was probably my fault. Sorry."  
Gwen glanced over to the clock. It was almost eleven, and she felt so tired. She rested her head against Jack's shoulder while he held her in his arms, stroking her hair. Gwen was so exhausted that she fell asleep there and then, with Jack cradling her in his arms.


	5. Hard To Let Go I

**Hey guys!**

**I know I've been rubbish lately with updates, but there's no excuse.**

**I'll post a couple of chapters to make up for it; this is the first.**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

Hard To Let Go I

The next day, Gwen walked into the hub with stares from Tosh and Owen. She ignored their looks and sat at her station and started her paper work  
"So, er, heard anything from Jack?"  
Gwen grinned to herself; she and Jack had worked out a cover story this morning.  
"No, Tosh, I haven't seen him since Friday. Why?"  
"Oh, no reason."  
Tosh got back to her work, but sent an IM to Owen:

_Sato, Toshiko: So, what do you reckon?_  
_Harper, Owen: I dunno. Why should I care?_  
_Sato, Toshiko: I think she's seen him._  
_Harper, Owen: Tosh, the girl can do what she likes in her spare time. It doesn't concern us._  
_Sato, Toshiko: Well, you've changed your tune. On Friday you couldn't wait to see what had happened._  
_Harper, Owen: Well, things change, Tosh. Just, leave them alone and get a life!_

Owen signed off. Yes, he did want to know what was going on. He wanted to know more than anything. But, Gwen was happy. He couldn't interfere with that.

Later that day, Gwen was down in the cells looking at a new Weevil they had caught the previous day. She turned when she heard the door open and saw Owen walk in. She smiled and said 'hello' before carrying on with her work. She was shocked, therefore, when Owen came up behind her and whispered in her ear.  
"We were so good together, you and me. We were amazing. And now you decide to break it off. Why?"  
"Owen, we've been through this. I'm not going to explain myself again."  
Gwen turned to leave, but Owen pushed her against the wall.  
"You know we were amazing. You still want it. I can see it in your eyes."  
Owen kissed Gwen, who pushed him away immediately.  
"Owen! Stop this! I'm with Jack now, deal with it!"  
"What Jack doesn't know won't hurt him."  
Owen kissed her again, but Gwen slapped him across the face and ran back up to her station.


	6. Unexpected

**Hey guys!**

**I know I've been rubbish lately with updates, but there's no excuse.**

**I'll post a couple of chapters to make up for it; this is the second.**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

Unexpected

Gwen hadn't seen Jack on Sunday, as Rhys came round to collect the rest of his things after she had finished at work, and she had thought it best that Jack wasn't there. She was so exhausted come Sunday night, that she fell asleep at 9 o'clock, and was oblivious to Jack knocking on her door at 10 o'clock. In fact, the only time she had seen Jack since Saturday was Monday morning, when he called round before she went to work. When she sat down at her station on Monday morning, Gwen grinned when she saw she had a message from Tosh.

_Sato, Toshiko: So, how's Jack?_  
_Cooper, Gwen: Dunno. I haven't seen him since Friday._  
_Sato, Toshiko: Oh, come on, Gwen! Don't give me that crap!_  
_Cooper, Gwen: Tosh, I don't know what you're talking about. I haven't seen him since Friday; he said he had something to do in London this weekend._  
_Sato, Toshiko: Yeah, right. I know you're lying, Gwen._

Tosh logged off and carried on working on a new translation device. Gwen decided to go down to the kitchen to see Ianto,  
"Hi, Ianto."  
"Oh, hello. What can I get you?"  
"Oh, no, I don't want anything. I just thought I'd come and talk to you for a while. No one else in this place seems to like me very much at the moment."  
Gwen sighed and sat on one of the boxes.  
"Is it Jack?"  
Ianto also sat down and looked at Gwen.  
"Yeah. I mean, I do want to be with him and everything; I broke it off with Rhys for him. It's just that, I don't know how much more I can take of Tosh and Owen."  
She told Ianto about Tosh telling her to stay away, and Owen trying to kiss her the previous day.  
"Well, I think that Tosh is probably just feeling down because of the whole Mary thing. And also because she likes Owen, but he's not interested. As for Owen, he's probably still licking his wounds, and just wants to make Jack jealous or something."  
Gwen was shocked.  
"Ianto, you know what's been going on?"  
Gwen had thought that Ianto just kept himself to himself.  
"Yes, of course. Just because no one talks to me doesn't mean that I don't pick up on things."  
"Sorry, Ianto, I didn't mean - "  
"I know what you meant, Gwen." Ianto smiled and made a cup of coffee for each of them.  
"If I were you, I'd ignore everything Tosh and Owen say, and just concentrate on the job, and Jack."  
"Those are wise words."  
Gwen and Ianto turned to see Jack standing in the doorway. Gwen smiled and Jack stepped inside.  
"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't know you had come in. Can I get you anything?"  
"No thanks, Ianto. Anyway, we've got strange activity about four miles away. We need to go."  
Gwen and Ianto nodded and followed Jack out to the SUV. Tosh and Owen were already inside.  
"We're getting strange readings in a place called Isslington Woods. It's definitely alien." Tosh said as they climbed inside. Gwen reluctantly climbed in alongside Owen; Tosh was already sitting in the front with Jack.  
The journey to the site was quiet, with Ianto breaking the silence every now and then with a cough or sigh. Gwen, sitting in between Ianto and Owen, kept feeling Owen's leg get closer to her own, causing her to continually move around, much to the irritation of Ianto. Getting out of the vehicle, Gwen gave Ianto her best 'I'm sorry' look and followed Jack to the spot.  
"Gwen, Owen, take all of the usual readings. Tosh, try to find out exactly what we are dealing with. Ianto, with me, we'll investigate the area."  
Now it was Jack's turn to give Gwen his best 'I'm sorry' look as he walked away with Ianto. When they were quite a long way away from the others, Ianto decided to speak with Jack.

"I, er, I just wanted to say, sir, well, no hard feelings. About Gwen and all." Jack looked confused. "What I mean is, I'm not offended or anything; that you chose her. I hope the two of you are happy together."  
"OK?" Jack was still pretending to be confused. Really, he knew what Ianto meant. Just a few short days ago, he and Ianto had been perfectly happy. But then, just four days ago, Jack had broken it off with Ianto, explaining that he needed to be with Gwen and couldn't let her slip away from him. He had expected Ianto to be upset, be he had acted like he had expected it.  
"Just, make sure you treat her right, Jack."  
"I will."  
Jack and Ianto were about to walk back to the SUV when a gunshot rang out, followed by Owen calling out.  
"Jack!"  
Jack and Ianto ran forwards to see Owen kneeling on the floor next to Gwen. Jack ran over and flung himself down beside her.  
"What happened?"  
"I dunno. We were just working and this shot rang out - "  
Gwen had been shot in the leg, and she was bleeding fast.  
"Damn, she's hit an artery! We have to get her back to the hub!"  
Jack stroked Gwen's hair before calling to Ianto.  
"Ianto! Help Owen carry her to the car."  
Jack walked off into the bushes with his gun aloft and found the culprit. He was an old man, around 60, with grey hair and hardly any teeth.  
"Why did you do it?" Jack grabbed the old man and pinned him against a tree. "Why?"  
"I-I thought you were - "  
"Tell me!"  
The old man stopped in his tracks as he pointed at something behind Jack. Jack turned and to his horror, saw something from his worst nightmares.


	7. His Worst Fear

**Hey guys!**

**I know I've been rubbish lately with updates, but there's no excuse.**

**I'll post a couple of chapters to make up for it; this is the third.**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

His Worst Fear

"Exterminate!"  
A blast from a laser knocked Jack off his feet. The old man shot at the Dalek, but also fell foul of the laser. Jack got to his feet, threw a portable prison cell in front of the Dalek, which became imprisoned, thankfully, and ran back to the SUV.  
"Tosh, grab a handful of the portable prison cells!" Jack ran into the back where Owen was treating Gwen.  
"Owen, Ianto, head back to the base, treat Gwen and head back here with all of the powerful blasters we have. Do not let Gwen come back. Not when she's injured."  
Gwen was semi-conscious, and mumbled something to Jack, who was stroking her face whilst talking to Owen. He bent over and kissed her before heading back out of the vehicle.  
"Jack, what's going on?"  
Ianto was getting into the drivers seat.  
"Ianto, just go, please! And hurry!"  
The SUV sped off and Jack and Tosh were left standing.  
"Tosh, how long do each of the prison cells last?" (Tosh had managed to make copies of the original a few months ago, so they now had a large supply).  
"Not long, twenty minutes or so."  
"And how many do we have?"  
"About...seven or eight."  
"I hope we have enough."  
Jack led Tosh over to the Dalek, which tried to 'exterminate' them, but failed. (Tosh had also built a force field into the prison cells).  
"Who are you?" Jack motioned to Tosh that she could approach; she had backed off when she saw the Dalek.  
"I am Dalek Sec."  
"I get it. You're the leader of all Daleks in existence. Answer me this: how did you escape? At the battle of Canary Wharf, every other Dalek was sucked into the void, so how come you survived?"  
"I teleported away, to the other side of the universe. I had to survive. I had to keep the race of the Daleks alive."  
"OK, that's one less problem to deal with."  
Tosh was confused.  
"Jack, what do you mean?"  
"Well, it teleported away. Which means that the void hasn't fractured and re-opened. That would have been...bad...more than bad..."  
Tosh noticed that the prison cell was fading and threw another onto the ground, which immediately captured the Dalek.  
"So, you're the last Dalek in existence? The only one of your kind?"  
"I am not. Daleks will not cease to exist. We cannot!"  
Jack laughed.  
"I'm afraid you can! You're the last one! When I destroy you - when, not if - the Dalek race will cease to exist! I fought you before and defeated you, I can defeat you again!"  
"What makes you so sure?" There was something in the Dalek's voice which Jack thought was slightly afraid.  
"I defeated thousands of Daleks on Satellite 5. I think I can deal with one measly Dalek!"  
"But you no longer have the Doctor. What can you do without him here?"  
This hit a nerve with Jack.  
"A hell of a lot! Just because he's not here doesn't mean he's not with me!"  
Tosh looked startled.  
"Jack, what's - ?"  
"I'll explain later!"

Back at the hub, Owen had patched Gwen up and he and Ianto were gathering blasters from the store cupboard.  
"So, what dya reckon's got Jack spooked?" Owen was smirking slightly.  
"I don't know. But whatever it is, it must be dangerous." Ianto looked afraid.  
"What makes you think that?"  
"To make Jack freak out like that, it must be dangerous."  
Gwen had appeared in the doorway using some crutches she had found.  
"Owen, I'm coming back."  
"Gwen, no. Jack said you were to stay here."  
"I'm not going to stay here when Jack might be...Well, I'm not staying!"  
After much argument, Owen and Ianto reluctantly set off with Gwen.


	8. Past Memories

**Hey guys!**

**I know I've been rubbish lately with updates, but there's no excuse.**

**I'd also just like to say as a note: If your only problem with this story is the Jack/Gwen ship, could you please not post reviews commenting on how much you hate Gwack? I've made it quite clear that this is a Gwack fic, and therefore if you have a problem with that ship, please just don't read!  
**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

Past Memories

Jack was on his last prison cell. He had found out that when the Doctor had opened the void, Rose had been with him, and Mickey, too. He also learned that there were no more Daleks in existence that he was aware of, or that Dalek Sec was aware of. He threw the prison cell to the ground.  
"Where the hell are they?"  
At that moment, the SUV pulled to a halt.  
"Tosh, run and grab all of the blasters!"  
Tosh ran back to the SUV and grabbed a handful of blasters from Owen, who ran back with her. At the sight of the Dalek, Owen stopped dead.  
"What? How?"  
"Owen, no time to explain!"  
Ianto grabbed a blaster off Owen and went over to Jack.  
"Usual formation?"  
Jack nodded, and the others surrounded the Dalek. Then, Gwen came through the bushes and stood next to Jack.  
"I thought I said she stays in the hub?"  
"Jack, I'm not a child! And besides, I'm fine. You need me here."  
Jack nodded, and Gwen grabbed a blaster and stood in position. Jack knew he was the only one who could take a blow from a Dalek and positioned himself in front of it. When the prison cell started to malfunction, Jack gave the order and the others started to shoot.  
"Don't let your guard down! No matter what happens, keep shooting!"  
The Dalek shot at Jack, who fell to the floor. Gwen yelled out, but kept shooting at the Dalek. As it turned onto Owen, Jack got back to his feet and yelled to the Dalek.  
"What, is that all you've got?"  
The Dalek turned and shot at him once again. Everyone concentrated their fire and, just as the Dalek was about to attack Owen, managed to blow the Dalek wide open. Jack stood up as the Dalek fell.  
"Death by Torchwood."  
Everyone let out a sigh of relief, as Jack recovered from his 'death'. Owen now turned on Jack.  
"How the hell did you survive two Dalek attacks?"  
Jack grinned. "I think you mean three."  
He turned and walked back to the SUV without directly answering Owen's question.  
Gwen climbed in the front of the vehicle alongside Jack, who was driving, and the others piled into the back. They had put the remains of the Dalek into the back for examination. When they were on the road, Owen piped up again.  
"So, come on, Jack. How come you can survive three Dalek attacks, a shot through the head and electrocution from a Cyberman?"  
Ianto flinched at the mention of Lisa, but went unnoticed; all eyes were on Jack.  
Jack sighed. He couldn't keep the truth from them now; they'd seen too much.  
"I travelled once, and I was killed and brought back to life. That's all you need to know. But now, I can't die. Ever."  
Jack paused. Surely he had told them enough by now? Owen, however, still wanted more.  
"So, you've known this since we all started at Torchwood, and you didn't think it suitable to tell us because?"  
"Owen, if I had came up to you on the day you started at Torchwood and said 'I'm Captain Jack Harkness, and by the way, I can't die' what do you think you would have done?"  
"But," Owen continued, "We've been here for years. Except Gwen here. You've had years to tell us, but you never did. Why?"  
Jack thought he'd have gotten this from Owen.  
"Owen, I don't have to tell you everything! A man is allowed to have his secrets!"  
Now, Tosh had a go.  
"But Jack, how long did you think you could have kept it hidden? You must have realised that we'd find out sooner or later?"  
"Well, I managed to keep it hidden for three years! It would have been more, if it hadn't been for Gwen here."  
Everyone turned their attention to Gwen, who looked away. Tosh sounded hurt.  
"Gwen, you - you knew?"  
"Yeah, I knew. It wasn't my place to say anything." Tosh still looked hurt. "Don't look at me like that, Tosh. It was up to Jack to tell you, not me."  
There was silence for the rest of the journey back to the hub. Jack and Gwen kept glancing at each other, but none of the others looked at either of them. Ianto kept his focus on the road ahead (he was in the centre); Tosh looked out of the right-hand window and Owen out of the left. When they pulled up outside the hub, Jack sent everyone home. Owen, Tosh and Ianto thankfully left, but Gwen followed Jack into his office.  
"Jack?"  
He was standing by the window, staring out into the empty base.  
She closed the office door and walked over to him.  
"Jack?"  
A tear ran down his face, and Gwen put an arm around him.  
"What is it?"  
Jack sighed. In one way, he had not wanted Gwen to see him like this, but on the other, he was glad she was here.  
"It's just...all of this...the Dalek...it's...it's brought back a lot of memories."  
"Tell me."  
Jack paused.  
"Jack, I want to know. You can trust me."  
Jack sat down and took a bottle of whiskey out of his draw. Gwen sat opposite him as he poured them both a drink.  
"Before I tell you this, Gwen, you have to understand this: I'm not who you think I am. Well, I am, but, I'm not."  
Gwen looked confused.  
"Jack, nothing you say will change anything. Not the way I feel about you. Nothing."  
"It all happened a couple of years ago...literally speaking. Before I came to Torchwood. I was a Time Agent. I travelled though time and space, conning the Time Lords outta their money."  
"What's a Time Lord?"  
"They're not like us, they're alien. They control the whole of time and space. Or at least, they did. Then came the Time War. They fought the Daleks, and all but one of them died. But they took the Daleks with them. Or so we thought. Anyway, I was going to con the last Time Lord, a man called the Doctor. But, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I saved the life of another Time Agent, Rose, her name was, and in return, the Doctor saved mine. I travelled with him for a while, and we ended up in the 51st Century. Then, the Daleks came. Thousands of them. I fought them; I was the last defence. Then, I was killed by a Dalek. And then, I dunno how, but I was brought back to life. And that's how I can't die. I tried to transport back here, to this century, but I got a little lost. I ended up in the 1800s, and I've been living through the ages since then."  
Gwen stared for a moment, taking in all of the information which she had just received. "So, you mean, you're over 200 years old?"  
"And looking good, huh?" Jack laughed slightly.  
Then, she nodded and took Jack's hands.  
"We can find him. Together."  
Jack looked into Gwen's eyes, shocked.  
"Gwen, what?"  
"Jack, I understand that you need to find this man...whoever he is...we can find him together. I don't care how long it takes, or where we have to go, but we'll find him. Together."  
A smile spread across Jack's face, and he kissed Gwen before rushing downstairs with Gwen on his heels.  
"OK, first...run a full check on one Rose Tyler. Find out where she was last seen."  
Gwen did as she was asked, and searched for her records. Her spirits fell when she found the information.  
"Jack...Rose Tyler...she's...deceased."  
Jack turned from what he was doing and looked at the computer screen. 'Rose Tyler. Deceased. Battle of Canary Wharf. Age 19.' Tears once again welled up in Jack's eyes. This time, he didn't fight it. He let the tears flow full and thick, while being comforted by Gwen. He got himself another drink and pulled himself together.  
"I'm sorry, Gwen. It's just..."  
"You loved her, didn't you?"  
Jack nodded. "Yeah, she was like a sister to me. I travelled with her. She was the Time Agent I saved. She was 19 years old. She didn't deserve to die that way." Jack straightened up. "Check one Jacqueline Tyler, her mother."  
Gwen did as she was asked. Once again, her spirits fell at the search results. "Also deceased. Battle of Canary Wharf. Age 42."  
Jack put his hand across his forehead. His one remaining link to the Doctor, gone.  
"I'm sorry, Jack."  
Jack was only half listening to Gwen. He was thinking. He had a way, but no, he couldn't do it. Could he?  
"Gwen, I have a plan to get the Doctor back here. But, it's gonna be dangerous. Very dangerous."


	9. The Night Of Your Life

**A/N: Not too much plot in this chapter, but I promise it will be more than made up for in the subsequent chapters to come!**

**xoxoxo**

* * *

The next day, Jack sent the rest of the team home at 6pm even though they were supposed to stay until 9pm. Owen, of course, jumped at the chance, and was out of the door before Jack had even finished speaking. Tosh and Ianto, however, remained in JackÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s office.  
"Jack, it's only 6pm, and I still have to..."  
"Tosh, it can wait until morning. Now go. You too, Ianto."  
Jack and Gwen were left alone in his office.  
"Jack? Why send them home early? Have you figured out what we need to do yet?"  
The previous day, Jack had come up with a plan, but had not figured out how to put it into action.  
"No."  
"Then, why..."  
Gwen's question was answered before she had even finished asking it. Jack had grabbed her waist and kissed her passionately before heading to close his office door. Gwen smiled and met Jack as he walked back over to her. She had not had time alone with him since the weekend. Before she had even had a chance to breathe, Jack's tongue was once again down Gwen's throat, and she was unbuckling his braces. Jack ripped open Gwen's shirt as she pulled open his trousers, and the two of them broke apart only to rip off their own clothes, as they found this quicker than trying to rip off each other's clothes. Gwen pushed Jack down onto his chair and sat on top of him. Nothing could have prepared Gwen for the feelings she felt when she was having sex with Jack right then. She felt weak yet strong, happy yet sad and tired yet awake. She didn't want this night to end; she wanted to stay this way, with Jack forever. When it was over, she sat in Jack's arms and never wanted to let go. She knew she had to get home, have some sleep before morning, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Jack. He must have felt her thoughts, somehow, and pulled his clothes on while passing Gwen hers.  
"Jack?" Gwen was startled by Jack's sudden movements.  
"Gwen, we need to be somewhere more comfortable." Gwen smiled at the glint in Jack's eyes and pulled her clothes on too.  
Jack drove back to Gwen's house on the other side of Cardiff. By the time they pulled up outside, Gwen had already fished out her keys and was through the door before Jack had even locked the SUV. Jack walked up to the door too slowly for Gwen's liking. She ran over to him and pulled him inside, slamming the door behind her. She quickly kissed him before grabbing his hand and leading him upstairs into the bedroom. Once again, they pulled off their clothes, and Gwen leapt into the bed, pulling Jack with her. For the second time that night, Jack made Gwen come like she had never came before, and she longed for more.  
Later that night, Jack lay awake with Gwen asleep in his arms. He stared down at her and reflected on his life. True, he had lost the Doctor, his chance to gain the two years of his life which he lost and his means of time travel, but he had gained so much more. If everything that had happened had never happened, he never would have found Gwen. True, he never used to be the settling down type, but something about the woman in his arms made him determined to try. His thoughts kept straying back to the Doctor. On one hand, he wanted him back here, but on the other...he didn't know if he could leave his life behind. He glanced at the time. 1am. The hub had been empty now for over 6 hours. Anything could have happened. Carefully, he slid away from Gwen without waking her, quietly felt around for his clothes and crept downstairs. He scribbled a note for Gwen which he placed on the fridge and silently headed back to the hub. He didn't want to leave Gwen, but he couldn't leave the hub, either.


	10. Intrusion!

**Sorry sorry sorry for the delay in posting an update to this one!**

**I lost the original document for this one so had to back-track to find it!**

**Hope it was worth the wait!**

**xoxoxo**

Intrusion?

When he got back to the hub, Jack saw shadows moving in his office. He pulled out his gun and silently made his way upstairs. He barged into his office, gun aloft, and saw -  
"Jack?"  
Jack breathed out, lowering his gun. "Ianto? What are you doing back here?"  
"I...I was just...finishing up."  
"At 1am?" Jack closed the door and flung his coat onto the chair while pocketing his gun. "Don't you have anything better to do?"  
"Not any more."  
Jack looked away from Ianto, dreading what was coming next.  
"I used to look forward to the end of the day, Jack. When I could be alone with you." Jack was clearly uncomfortable, but Ianto continued. "But now...now life seems...empty."  
Jack turned to Ianto. "Look, I'm sorry about the way it...ended. I really am. What more do you want from me?"  
Ianto moved closer, to the further discomfort of Jack. "I...I only want you, Jack."  
Jack opened his mouth to reply, but Ianto had already stuck his tongue in it and had his arms around Jack. For a few moments, Jack responded to Ianto and continued kissing him. When he came to his sense, Jack pushed away a disgruntled Ianto.  
"This can't happen, Ianto..."  
Surprisingly, Ianto smiled. "You know, Jack, all you ever seem to want to do is take things which make me happy away from me. First Lisa; now you take yourself away from me. When do I get a chance to be happy, Jack?" Tears now filled Ianto's eyes.  
"Ianto, don't do this to yourself. Some things...some things just aren't meant to be."  
Ianto again moved closer to Jack. "But this...this is, Jack. I know it is." Ianto kissed Jack again, who broke off quicker this time.  
"Ianto, don't do this to me. I'm not gonna hurt Gwen. I won't."  
"What about hurting me!" Ianto was sobbing now.  
"I never meant to hurt you, Ianto. But you have to understand. I..." Jack paused. "I...I love her." Ianto looked up. "I love Gwen, Ianto. Can you understand that?"  
Ianto didn't reply. Instead, he inclined his head slightly and rushed out of the hub with tears silently running down his face.


	11. Betrayal

Betrayal?

Next morning, Gwen and Ianto both entered the hub early. Gwen was a little disgruntled at being left the previous night, but her mood soon lifted when Jack kissed her a few times. Ianto only spoke to Jack to ask him if he required any coffee (to which the answer was 'no') and otherwise stayed away. Ianto saw red when Jack and Gwen came out of the office at the start of the shift and he saw them share a swift kiss before Gwen headed back downstairs.

Later that day, Gwen was down in the cells looking at another Weevil, when the door opened and Ianto walked in.  
"Oh, hi, Ianto."  
Ianto wasn't smiling at Gwen as she was him. He looked upset. Angry, even.  
"Ianto? Something wrong?"  
Ianto stared silently at Gwen, and moved around her.

Back in the office, Jack was observing the goings-on on the CCTV. He tapped into the cells, where he knew Gwen was working, smiling at the thought of watching her work. His face fell when he saw what was happening. Ianto was in the cells with Gwen. There was no sound on the CCTV, so Jack couldn't hear what was being said. Jack watched carefully as Gwen backed away from Ianto. Jack couldn't see what was making Gwen act this way as Ianto had his back to the camera. Then, looking closely, Jack saw what was making Gwen nervous. He ran out of the office and down the stairs, yelling to the rest of his team.  
"Owen, Tosh, with me! NOW!"  
Owen and Tosh rushed over. Owen was behind Jack as he ran into the basement.  
"Jack, what is it?"  
"Owen, just run!"  
Jack burst into the cells and found Ianto standing over Gwen, who was lying in a pool of her own blood. He pulled his gun on Ianto as Owen and Tosh ran to assist Gwen.  
"What are you playing at, Ianto?" Jack was yelling though he had tears in his eyes. Ianto did nothing but stand and laugh. Owen and Tosh quickly but carefully carried Gwen up to the autopsy room while Jack interrogated Ianto.  
"Why? Tell me why!"  
Ianto grinned. "I wanted you to know how it feels to lose the one you love."  
Ianto was calm compared to Jack, who was hysterical. Jack couldn't even reply. He turned his gun and shot Ianto in the foot. He quickly opened a cell and threw Ianto inside.  
"I'll deal with you later!"  
Jack locked the cell door and ran upstairs to the autopsy room.  
"Owen, what's her status?" Jack was close to tears and hysterical.  
"She's not good, Jack. He just missed her liver, but he's punctured her gall bladder."  
Jack knelt down behind Gwen's head and stroked her hair. Tosh, who was assisting Owen, now spoke.  
"What have you done with Ianto?"  
"I threw the son of a bitch in one of the cells. If she...if she..." Jack couldn't bring himself to say the words which were in his head.  
Owen was shaking his head. "No, the bullet's lodged in her gall bladder. I might have to remove it, which is something I really don't wanna do." He glanced at Gwen's status. "OK, we're losing her! Tosh, give me a scalpel! I'm gonna have to remove it, or we're gonna lose her!"  
Hearing this, a tear ran down Jack's face. It was only two days ago that Gwen had been treated for a shot in the leg. He prayed that she was strong enough to survive this time.  
"Jack, grab that dish for me." Jack froze, not taking in what Owen was saying to him. "Jack!"  
Jack came to and quickly handed Owen the dish he was gesturing to. "Owen, you have to save her. Please."  
Owen nodded, and placed Gwen's gall bladder into the dish Jack was holding. Jack moved the dish away and turned his eyes back to Gwen, while Owen attempted to stitch Gwen up and stop the bleeding. "Tosh, I need you to come round here and shine a light in here for me."  
Tosh did as she was asked, although she would have preferred not to have seen Gwen's insides. Owen knew that he couldn't have asked Jack to do it; this was Gwen they were dealing with.  
Owen finally managed to find the source of the bleed and repaired it.  
"Jack, she is still in the danger zone." Owen explained later. "The next 24 hours are critical for her."  
Jack now had a bedside vigil for Gwen. He grasped her hand in his, and prayed to God that she would make it. He had sent Owen and Tosh home after thanking them for their hard work, and reassuring them that he would call if anything happened. Jack wanted to be alone with Gwen, just in case...Once the others had left, Jack allowed the tears which had been building up steadily for the last couple of hours to flow full and thick as he stared at Gwen's lifeless form. Then, taking his inspiration from the movies, he talked to her in a bid to wake her.  
"Gwen Cooper. It's not your time, you know. It's not time for you to leave me. Not yet. I won't let you. I can't let you. You're..." Jack sighed. He felt stupid, talking to himself, but continued. "I know I make out that I'm indestructible. I know that I seem to be cold and heartless at times. But, you know, I'm not. You've seen that. You know me more than the others. You're so...different to them. You care about other people, not only yourself. That's why...that's why...why...why I...I love you." Jack broke down fully after this, and could do nothing but grab Gwen's hands and sob next to her bed. 


End file.
